It is nowadays possible to remotely measure vital signs, such as heart rate and respiration rate. Remote photo-plethysmography (RPPG) measures small brightness variation of the skin using reflected ambient light. Respiration measurement is based on detection of motion and differences between video frames.
Within Ambient Healing Environments (AHE), the patient is presented with an audiovisual theme to assist in relaxing, for instance before or during an MRI or PET-CT scanning procedure. Remote (camera based) vital signs monitoring is susceptible to changes in the environment, notably the ambient lighting conditions. Within Ambient Healing Environments the environment is under full control, showing a comforting (visual or audiovisual) theme using video projection, light effects and/or sounds.
WO 2009/153700 A1 discloses a method of monitoring a vital parameter of a patient by measuring attenuation of light emitted onto tissue of the patient. In particular, a modulation scheme is disclosed for rejecting noise from ambient light.
US 2009/0299675 A1 discloses a system and a method for controlling a light emitting device for an optical sensor based on signal quality and/or power consumption requirements. Drive current and/or integration time is controlled as a function of detected ambient light or signal quality. As the signal quality decreases the drive current or integration time can be adjusted to provide a more usable signal. The method is particularly integrated in a fingerclip sensor.
However, there is currently no remote vital signs measurement equipment in the AHE, and there is also no connection between the vital signs measurement devices and ambience equipment.